Proverbs 5:21 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For a man 's ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and he ponders all his paths.

NIV: For your ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all your paths.

NASB: For the ways of everyone are before the eyes of the Lord, And He observes all his paths.

CSB: For a man’s ways are before the Lord’s eyes, and he considers all his paths.

NLT: For the Lord sees clearly what a man does, examining every path he takes.

KJV: For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings.

NKJV: For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, And He ponders all his paths.

If an adulterer thinks his sin is a secret, he deceives himself. Nothing is hidden from God's eyes (Hebrews 4:13). He sees all, and He knows all. One of the ways we justify sin to ourselves, often, is by pretending that no one will know. But God—whose knowledge matters more than that of any other person—can't be fooled or hidden from.

This idea of God seeing and knowing all pervades Scripture. Genesis 6:5 reports that in the days just before the flood, "The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." When Abraham expelled Hagar and Ishmael from his house, Hagar rested by a spring of water in the desert and received a visit from the angel of the Lord. After the visit, she called the name of the Lord, "You are a God of seeing" (Genesis 16:13). Amid his trials, Job said of God, "He knows the way that I take" (Job 23:10). Psalm 139:1–3 confesses "O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways."

The thought of the Lord's all-seeing eye brings comfort to those who walk uprightly, but it brings guilt and fear to those who pursue wickedness.

Proverbs 5:15–23 follows sections warning about the temptations and consequences of adultery. In this closing section of Proverbs 5, Solomon advises each of his sons to stay faithful to his wife in a monogamous relationship and to enjoy the blessings of marriage. He points out that the Lord knows all about each person's conduct.

Solomon approaches the subject of adultery by describing a prototype seducer: a smooth talker who leads the victim down a dangerous road. Sin promises pleasure, but it is ultimately brief and destructive consequences are long lasting. The destructive consequences include a loss of strength, respect, money, and longevity. The person who disregards godly counsel about adultery experiences ruin and disgrace. Faithfulness in marriage brings a person exuberance and joy. No sin, including adultery, is hidden from God. Sin ensnares the adulterer and shows that he is foolish, undisciplined, and far from the Lord.

This chapter continues the wise sayings Solomon addresses to his children and / or students. Solomon warns about the temptation to succumb to adultery. He points out the calamities of yielding to sexual sin, and of violating one's marriage. This warning is similar the one given in Proverbs 1:8–10. After cautioning about the risks of adultery, he cites the joys and advantages of monogamous marriage.

Proverbs is best understood in context with the books of Ecclesiastes and Job. In Proverbs, “wisdom” is given in short, simple, general terms. Ecclesiastes represents wisdom based on observation and experience. This often shows how the general principles of the book of Proverbs don’t apply in absolutely every circumstance. Job represents wisdom based on the experience of suffering and injustice. All three come to the conclusion that God does indeed know best, and the most sensible course of action is to follow His will.